Folding tray construction



March 9, 1965 Filed May 10, 1965 R. B. NAWMAN ETAI.

FOLDING TRAY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I x H 2/ 76 g! 5/ 13 24 We /Z n q 74 29 j INVENTORS gal/fa (iv/man BY ar y Attorneys March 1965 R. B. NAWMAN ETAL 3,172,542

FOLDING TRAY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorneys United States Patent 3,172,542 FOLDWG TRAY CONSTRUCTION Rollie B. Nawrnan. Piedmont, and Harry R. ()tt, Rich- 'mond, Calif., assignors to Benner-Nawman, Inc., Oakland, Calif, a corporation of California Filed May 10, 1963, Ser. No. 279,431 3 Claims. (Cl. 211126) This invention relates to a folding tray construction and more particularly to a folding tray construction which is particularly adapted for carrying loaves of bread and the like.

Folding trays have heretofore been provided. However, the movable bails on such trays have not been particularly satisfactory. Such bails have failed to support the trays one above the other without danger of a tray above sliding off the bails of the tray below. There is, therefore, a need for a new and improved folding tray in which the handles or bails are constructed so that the trays are securely retained stacked one above the other.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a folding tray in which the bails are constructed so that when they are in an upright position, the trays can be stacked one above the other without danger of the tray above coming out of engagement with the bails of the tray below.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding tray of the above character which can be readily stacked with other trays with the bails either folded or in upright positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding tray of the above character which can be readily and economically manufactured.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a folding tray incorporating our invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of portions of a pair of trays showing the trays stacked one above the other with the bails in an upright position.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

In general, our folding tray consists of a rectangular framework having a pair of spaced parallel substantially 7 '3 vertical side walls, a pair of spaced parallel substantially vertical end walls, and bottom wall portions extending around the perimeter of the bottom of the framework. The folding tray also consists of a pair of spaced bails pivotally mounted in the framework adjacent one pair of spaced parallel walls for movement towards and away from said one pair of parallel walls between upright and folded positions. Runners are formed on the bottom wall portions. The upper extremities of the bails are formed with runner receiving means extending the length of the upper extremities of the bails which serve to receive the runners of the tray above when the trays are stacked one above the other with the bails in an upright position. The runner receiving means in each of the bails consists of a pair of substantially parallel members extending substantially the entire length of the upper extremities of the bail.

More in particular, as shown in the drawings, our folding tray consists of a generally rectangular framework 11 which, as described in copending application Serial No.

3,172,542 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 202,826, filed June 15, 1962, consists of a pair of spaced parallel ends 12 and a pair of spaced parallel sides 13. The ends and sides forming the framework 11 are formed of a suitable material such as cold rolled steel and have the same general configuration as shown in the drawings. As can be seen, the ends and sides 12 and 13 are provided with vertical wall portions 12a and 13a, respectively, and with horizontal bottom wall portions 12b and 13b, respectively.

The horizontal bottom wall portions 12b and 13b of the ends and sides 12 and 13 are provided with depending U-shaped runner portions 120. and 13d which are formed integral therewith and which are spaced inwardly from the vertical wall portions 12a and 13a of the associated walls. As can be seen from the drawings, the U-shaped runner portions form a runner which extends around the entire perimeter of the bottom portion of the frames 11. The ends and sides 12 and 13 are also provided with outwardly and downwardly turned portions 12e and 13s to reinforce the vertical walls and also to provide rounded upper surfaces for the vertical walls.

A pair of diagonal reinforcing strips 16 are secured to the corner portions of the horizontal or bottom wall portions 12b and 13b of each of the corners of the rectangular frame 11 by suitable means such as spot welding as shown particularly in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. These strips 16, in addition to reinforcing the frame, also serve to provide a support for the liner (not shown) which may be placed in the framework 11.

A reinforcing corner member or bracket 18 is provided on each of the four corners of the framework 11 and is secured thereto by suitable means such as welding as shown in FIGURE 2. The corner members 18 are each provided with a pair of side walls 19 and 21 which extend at right angles to each other and a bottom wall 22 which extends at right angles to the side walls 19 and 22.

A pair of substantially U-shaped carrying bails 26 formed of a suitable rod-like material have their ends pivotally mounted in the framework 11 adjacent the ends 12 for pivotal movement toward and away from the ends of the framework about an axis which is substantially parallel to the ends of the framework between upright and folded positions. The ends of the bails are provided with portions 26a which extend in a direction at right angles to the side walls 13. The ends of the bails are also provided with portions 26b which extend in a direction at right angles to the end walls 12 and lie in a plane parallel to the bottom walls 22 of the corner members 18 when the bails are in an upright position and extend in a substantially vertical direction when the bails are in a folded position.

Means is provided for pivotally mounting the portions 26a and is of the type described in copending application Serial No. 202,826, filed June 15, 1962. As described therein, straps 29 are provided which are formed to overlie the portions 26a of the bails and which have their ends inserted into recesses provided in the corner brackets or members 18 and secured thereto by suitable means such as spot welding as shown particularly in FIGURE 2. As is readily apparent from FIGURES 2 and 3, the straps 29 in cooperation with the corner brackets 18 serve to provide bearing means for pivotally mounting the portions 26a of the bails.

The bails 26 are movable between upright and folded positions as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3. Means is provided for yieldably retaining the bails in an upright position and consists of spring members 31 which have one end disposed within slots 32 formed by the runner portions 13d as shown particularly in FIGURE 3. The spring members 31 extend through holes 33 provided in the bottom walls 22 of the corner brackets or members 261: of the bails are formed with inclined cam surfaces 34 provided on the outer ends of the portions 26a adjacent the members 29. The members 31 are formed of relatively heavy spring steel and are held in position by holes 33 in the angle members 18 so that substantial forces are appliedto the cam surfaces 34 in a direction to yieldably retain the bails in an upright position after they have been moved to an upright position. The cam surfaces 34 are also positioned so that when the bails are moved past approximately 45 angle positions, the spring members 31 will move the bails to their upright or vertical positions and yieldably retain the same in these positions so that the bails cannot accidentally collapse or fall from the upright position.

When it is desired to move the bails 26 to folded positions as shown in FIGURE 3, the bails can both be moved out of engagement with the angle brackets 18 against the force of the yieldable means in the form of spring members 31 and folded into the collapsed positions shown in FIGURE 3. As this is accomplished, the free ends of the spring members 31 are raised to positions such as shown in FIGURE 3.

The bails 26, in addition to the portions hereinbefore described, are provided with portions 26c which extend in a substantially vertical direction parallel to the vertical walls when the bails are in an upright position. The vertical portions 260 of the bails are joined by a straight horizontal portion 26c so that substantially right angles are formed by the portions 26c and 26e.

Runner receiving means is provided on each of the bails 26 and includes an additional member 36 which is secured to the upper portion of each of the bails 26. The additional member is provided with a substantially straight portion 36a which is spaced from and parallel to but slightly below the portion 262 of the associated bail to provide a runner receiving recess 37. The additional member 36 also consists of vertical portions 3612 i;

which form substantially right angles with the portions 36a. The member 36 includes horizontal portions 36c which extend outwardly at right angles to portions 365 and the portions 26c of the bail 26. a The member 36 is provided with additional vertical portions 36d which are disposed adjacent the portions 260 and are secured thereto by suitable means such as welding as shown in FIG- URE 5.

Because of the configuration of the members 36 and the bail 26, it can be seen that the recess 37 formed between the members is substantially U-shaped and is open from opposite ends of the bail upon stacking the trays one above the other, the trays can he slid in sidewise into the recesses 37 so that the runners of the tray above can be readily seated within the recesses 37. As shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5 the portions 12d are received in the recesses 37 and the portions-13d of the runners are positioned outside of the portions 36b of the members 36 so that the trays cannot move sidewise or laterally with respect to each other. Longitudinal movement is restricted by the portions 12d engaging the portions 26e and 36c forming the recess 37.

With this arrangement, it can be seen that when the bails are in the upright position, the trays can be readily stacked one above the other without any difiiculty and without any danger of a tray slipping off the tray immediately below because of the manner in which the runners cooperate with the bails to prevent any substantial lateral longitudinal movement of the trays with respect to each other.

When the bails are folded as shown in FIGURE 3, the trays can be stacked one above the other in a manner very similar to that described in copending application Serial No. 202,826, filed June 15, 1962. When the bails are folded, the portions or members 36 rest upon the bottom wall portions 13b as shown in FIGURE 3.

The tray herein described is of a type which can be utilized with bread trays which have heretofore been marketed for a number of years under the name of Deltra and which are similar to the trays shown in Patents Nos. 2,688,420 and 2,801,766.

It is apparent from the foregoing that .we have provided a new and improved folding tray which has many advantages. In addition to having a construction which facilitates stacking of the trays one above the other without danger of the tray above slipping out of engagement with the tray below, we have provided a tray which can be readily and economically manufactured.

We claim:

1. In a folding tray, a rectangular framework having a pair of spaced parallel substantially vertical side walls and a pair of spaced parallel substantially vertical end walls, said framework also having bottom wall portions extending around the perimeter ofthe bottom of the framework, a pair of spaced. parallel bails pivotally mounted in the framework adjacent one pair of spaced parallel walls for movement toward and away from said one pair of parallel walls between upright and folded positions, and runners formed on thebottorn wall portions, the outer extremities of the bails being formed with runner receiving means extending the length of the upper extremities of the bail and serving to receive the runners of the tray above when the trays are stacked one above the other with the bails in an upright position, said runner receiving means being formed by a pair of parallel spaced members extending substantially the-entire length of the bail, each of said runner receiving means being formed so that it is open on opposite ends.

2. In a folding tray, a rectangular framework having a pair of spaced parallel substantially vertical side walls and a pair of spaced parallel substantially vertical end walls, said framework alsohaving bottom wall portions, a pair of spaced parallel substantially U-shaped bails pivotally mounted in the framework adjacent one pair of spaced parallel walls for movement towardand away from said one pair of parallel walls between upright and folded positions, runners formed on the bottom wall portions, and additional members secured to the upper portions of each of the bails and serving to form in cooperation with said upper portions, U-shaped runner receiving recesses extending the length of the upper extremities of the bails and being adapted to receive the runners of the tray above when the'trays are stacked one above'the other with the bails in an upright position.

3. A folding tray as in claim 2 wherein said U-shaped recesses are open at the opposite ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,688,420 Bishop Sept. 7, 1954 2,814,390 Barbier Nov. 26, 1957 2,936,077 Carpenter May 10, 1960 2,994,463 Drader Aug. 1, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 247,891 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1947 1,256,663 France Feb. 13, 1961 

2. IN A FOLDING TRAY, A RECTANGULAR FRAMEWORK HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL SUBSANTIALLY VERTICAL SIDE WALLS AND A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL END WALLS SAID FRAMEWORK ALSO HAVING BOTTOM WALL PORTIONS, A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BAILS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN THE FRAMEWORK ADJACENT ONE PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL WALLS FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID ONE PAIR OF PARALLEL WALLS BETWEEN UPRIGHT AND FOLDED POSITIONS, RUNNERS FORMED ON THE BOTTOM WALL PORTIONS, AND ADDITIONAL MEMBERS SECURED TO THE UPPER PORTIONS OF EACH OF THE BAILS AND SERVING TO FORM IN COOPERATION WITH SAID UPPER PORTIONS, U-SHAPED RUNNER RECEIVING RECESSES EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF THE UPPER EXTREMITIES OF THE BAILS AND BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE RUNNERS OF THE TRAY ABOVE WHEN THE TRAYS ARE STACKED ON ABOVE THE OTHER WITH THE BAILS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. 